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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Imee Marcos bears accountability for slashing P13B from 4Ps budget, says House leader 

Imee Marcos bears accountability for slashing P13B from 4Ps budget, says House leader 

Published Feb 23, 2024 04:12 am

At A Glance

  • House Deputy Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre says Senator Imee Marcos bears accountability for slashing from the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) some P13 billion that was meant for the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
  • 4Ps started out as a program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), but it had since been institutionalized under Republic Act (RA) No. 11310. 

20240223_120649.jpgTingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre (left), Senator Imee Marcos (MANILA BULLETIN, Facebook)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senator Imee Marcos bears accountability for slashing from the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) some P13 billion that was meant for the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). 

Thus, said House Deputy Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, who reminded the lady senator that the 4Ps wasn't a mere program of an agency that could be tinkered with. 

"I don't think the accountability of Senator Marcos is simply by admitting that she was the one who removed that from the budget during the bicam, I think her accountability to her constituents is to also explain to them where did the money go," Acidre said during a press conference Thursday, Feb. 22. 

"Because this is not just a simple program, this is not just a simple project of the government," he noted. 

The 4Ps is the Philippine government's flagship poverty alleviation program. It started out as a program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), but it had since been institutionalized under Republic Act (RA) No. 11310. 

"I think the good senator has also forgotten that 4Ps is not just a program of government. It’s actually a law...and as a law, we're duty-bound to implement it," stressed Acidre. 

It was Ako Bicol Rep. Jil Bongalon, House Committee on Appropriations vice chairman, who revealed that nearly 900,000 households or 4.3 million Filipinos who were among the "poorest of the poor" who were deprived of cash aid totaling P13-billion from 4Ps after Senator Marcos redirected these funds to other social amelioration programs. 

"If we do the math, P13-billion divided by P15,000 per household per year, means 867,000 families or 4.3 million poor individuals got zero cash assistance from the DSWD’s 4Ps program last year, thanks to Senator Imee," Bongalon said. 

Acidre underscored the importance of following the letter of the law, especially when it has a noble cause. 

"Ito po’y ipinagkaloob sa isang batas na kami po bilang mga mambabatas ay sana ho naisip namin na kailangan natin ipatupad. Lalong lalo na kung ang isang batas ay may layunin, na pagandahin o magkaroon naman ng konting ginhawa ang ating mga kababayan," he said. 

(This was provided for in a law that, as legislators, hopefully we keep in mind that it has to be implemented. Especially if such law can provide some relief to our countrymen.)

Related Tags

Sen. Imee Marcos jude acidre 4Ps
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